Passport robbers impersonated police

Robbers were caught during handing over of ransom for passport

Two Pakistanis were sentenced to one year in jail for robbing a woman of jewellery and passports when she opened the door of her flat to people claiming to be policemen.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance also ordered deportation of AMS, 29, worker and AZM, 23, carpenter after serving their jail terms.

According to the records, the two were arrested when they asked the woman’s husband for Dh15,000 for returning the passports.

The victim, RSD, 27, Indian housewife, testified that on October 18, at around 11.15am she heard a knock on the door.

“I opened the door and one of two men claimed to be police. They entered the flat, closed the door behind them and asked if we were sharing the flat with others. Then they said they will search the flat and asked me to sit on the sofa. After searching the flat, they repeated the same questions to me and threatened to imprison me if I am found to be lying.

“One of them asked me to submit my passport. I went to the bed room to bring them my passport. They followed me and one of them took my one-and-a-half year-old baby outside. The other man pointed a knife at me and asked me to sit on the bed and not to scream for help.

“He asked me for gold and money. I took off my gold ornaments and gave it to him. He again searched the room but did not find anything. At this time my seven-year-old daughter came home. One of the men stood behind the door and as she got in, he closed the door behind her.

“Then he asked me to take off the gold ornaments from my baby. He made me use a knife to take off the bracelet that was on his leg. They removed their finger prints using my son’s shirt. Then they put all the gold in a bag. As they were leaving, I asked them to return our passports. They said that they will ask for a ransom for returning it and noted down my husband’s mobile number. Then they locked the flat from outside and left,” she testified.

Then the victim shouted for her neighbour’s help from the balcony of the flat. Twenty minutes later, her husband arrived with policemen.

In the evening, the husband received a call from one of the accused who asked him to pay Dh15,000 for the passports to be returned.

The police made arrangements with the husband and the accused were arrested when the money was being handed over to them.

The woman recognised the accused when they were shown to her during an identification parade.